Leadership Delaware Staff

Terry A. Strine

Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO

A series of career business and political opportunities have prepared Terry for this most important leadership role of all – founding and chairing, Leadership Delaware, Inc.

A graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, Terry was recruited out of college by IBM as a Data Processing Marketing Representative, and assigned to Wilmington, Delaware. A “high number” in the draft soon encouraged him to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard, where, after OCS in Yorktown, Virginia, he was ordered to a Cutter stationed in Portland, Maine. There he met, wooed, won and married his wife, Sandy. Three years, four months, and 17 days later, (but who’s counting!) he returned to civilian life and IBM, this time to Dover, Delaware.

With a promotion pending to a position involving extensive travel, Terry left IBM to become a stockbroker in Wilmington, first with Francis I. du Pont, then with Butcher & Sherrerd. He later moved on to become a commercial investment real estate broker, which quickly morphed to becoming a full time investor in real estate.

During his several successful careers, Terry’s passion for public policy and politics grew, and in 2003, he was nominated to become Chairman of the Delaware State Republican Committee. Some have described this position to be one of the “toughest, least rewarding jobs in the world,” but the opposite was true for Terry. “Tough” to be sure, but wonderfully rewarding in the many friends, contacts, and priceless experiences which Chairmanship brought. As State GOP Chair, he saw the strengths and weaknesses, the challenges and temptations afforded political leaders, key staffers, bureaucrats, lobbyists and elected officials in both parties, in Dover and Washington, D.C.

In 2008, Terry stepped down as Delaware State GOP Chair, and having seen leadership at the local, state, and national levels in business, finance, and the political world, he asked himself, “what’s next…how can I make a difference?” Why not identify, recruit, mentor and network the best and brightest young leaders in the First State, give them the tools, the contacts, and the know-how they will need to achieve higher levels of leadership in every area of our Delaware community? Governor Pete du Pont and Terry’s wife, Sandy, encouraged, urged, supported his thinking, and thus was born Leadership Delaware, Inc.

Without question, Terry’s most important leadership role which he has been privileged to experience, has been founding, and now leading Leadership Delaware, Inc.

Sandy Strine

Co-Founder

Sandra Strine is a business leader, entrepreneur, wife and mother, and the co-founder of Leadership Delaware. As a leader of Leadership Delaware, she has dedicated her significant experience, network, and vision to developing young leaders from among the best and brightest in the First State.

Growing up in Maine, Sandy met and married her husband, Terry Strine, then a young officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. After he/she had completed his commitment in the Coast Guard, they rejoined IBM and settled their family of three, soon to be five, in Dover, Delaware. They later relocated to Wilmington, Delaware, where Sandy worked as a registered nurse, then partnered with her husband as they developed a business investing in and managing commercial and residential real estate, and later at her husband’s side in many political and philanthropic endeavors. Her expertise in real estate includes investing in apartment buildings, single family homes, office buildings, mini storage, mobile home parks and more. Sandy has a special talent in building and renovating properties, is an avid collector of antiques and art, a talented chef, and has friends from all walks of life.

Sandy served as a mentor of DYLN (Delaware Youth Leadership Network), a ten-month program which selects high school juniors from Delaware to be participants/scholars in an intensive leadership development experience.

Sandy spends much of her time devoted to Leadership Delaware events, and serves as a lead host and coordinator of more than 30 events each year. She enjoys her rare spare time with her family in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Kansas, and at her second home in coastal Maine.

Loretana “Lora” G. Matteis

Program Director and Executive Assistant to the Chairman & CEO

After graduating from the University of Delaware with a BA in Communication and a Minor in Italian, where she was a 4-year varsity track & field athlete and captain in her senior year, Lora began her public relations experience as an intern with a marketing firm in Wilmington. She then interned with the University of Delaware in Sports Marketing and Operations. Lora worked at Discover Card Bank for six years in the New Accounts and Credit Card Disputes departments, leading a team of 15 associates, and then spent eight years at Archmere Academy as the Assistant Director of Institutional Advancement (Communications/Publications Manager). While at Archmere, Lora was a member of a three-person team focusing on publications (school directories, annual report, invitations, press releases, school magazine), public relations and fundraising. She worked with the school’s Alumni Council, Fathers’ Club and Mothers’ Guild, organizing and supporting alumni/school events. Now, as Executive Assistant to Terry Strine, Chairman & CEO of Leadership Delaware, Lora plays a key role in planning and executing the Leadership Delaware program. She recently served as Program Assistant of DYLN (Delaware Youth Leadership Network), a high school leadership organization. A native of New Jersey, Lora is proud to call Delaware her home.

Meghan Newberry

Meghan Newberry is originally from Maryland and has been a resident of North Wilmington since 2013. Meghan has worked in Delaware for over 12 years. Prior to working with Leadership Delaware, Inc. she held various roles in customer service and training.

Career Highlights

Her career in Delaware started at AAA-MidAtlantic where she was responsible for coaching new employees and managing customer concerns.

In 2008, she transitioned to Aberdeen Proving Ground where she was responsible for composing technical reports outlining outcomes of testing for new military equipment with a focus on body armor and robotics.

In 2009, Meghan returned to Delaware and joined the Annual Reports Team with CSC. Meghan held various roles in her tenure, including leading a team of 40+ individuals across the United States. Her primary focus was to grow the business segment creating process efficiency for internal and external customers, as well as coaching her team.

In 2016, she assumed the role of Corporate Services Trainer where she was responsible for developing and implementing training for new and existing employees across two business units.

Meghan was also responsible for working as a charitable ambassador as a member of CSC’s Corporate Citizenship Taskforce. She managed relationships with new and existing charitable partners.

In 2017, she assumed the role as the Director of Communication, Alumni Engagement & Development Support. She believes in sharing her transformational experience with Leadership Delaware and is dedicated to engaging and encouraging young leaders across the state.

Personal Interests

• Photography

• Spending time with her husband, Justin and son, Cru, as well as their two dogs, Duke and Cash.